


A Little Too Much Christmas Cheer

by Ink_Gypsy



Series: Casey/Zeke Holiday Universe [5]
Category: The Faculty (1998)
Genre: Advent Calendar, M/M, casey/zeke fics, fffc, the faculty - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-07
Updated: 2019-01-07
Packaged: 2019-10-06 03:52:16
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,261
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17338076
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ink_Gypsy/pseuds/Ink_Gypsy
Summary: On a trip to the department store to buy his mother a Christmas gift, Casey helps shield the children when the store Santa turns up drunk.





	A Little Too Much Christmas Cheer

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the Frodo Flash Fiction Challenge, Day 22 prompt: Bad Santa

“I have to find the right one,” Casey told Zeke as they neared the department store’s fragrance counter. “My Mom loves this particular perfume, but hasn’t worn it in a while, so I went into her bedroom and found the bottle on her makeup table. It was empty. I know she won’t buy it for herself, so I want to get it for her for Christmas.”

“What’s the name of it?” Zeke asked.

Casey grimaced. “That’s the problem. I don’t remember.”

“Why didn’t you bring the empty bottle with you?”

“I didn’t want her to notice it was missing and spoil the surprise.”

“I don’t suppose you thought of writing the name down.”

“I was about to, but Mom was coming down the hall, and I didn’t want her to catch me in their bedroom, so I had to take off before I got the chance I’ll just have to sniff all the sample bottles on the counter until I find the right one.”

Zeke looked incredulous. “Do you know how many perfumes there are on the market? This could take all day.’

“Today’s Christmas Eve, so it’s my last chance to get it, if I can find it.” Casey looked up at Zeke and offered, “You don’t have to stay. You can go home and I’ll call you later.”

It was tempting, but Zeke couldn’t do it. “What kind of boyfriend would I be if I didn’t help you on this secret mission?”

“A terrible boyfriend,” Casey replied.

“That’s why I’m going to stick it out until the bitter end.” The end Zeke hoped would come sooner rather than later.

The area the store had set for children to sit on Santa’s lap and tell him what they wanted for Christmas was crowded with both kids and parents, but rather than the smiles Casey expected to see and the excitement he expected to hear, there were only frowns, and the sound of grumbling parents and crying children. When he and Zeke got close enough, they could hear the department store Santa talking to a little girl, his speech terribly slurred. He was having difficult holding the child on his lap, causing her mother to come forward and take the child from him before he dropped her.

“What the fuck,” Casey swore. “That asshole’s drunk.”

“Sure looks like he fortified himself with a little too much Christmas cheer,” Zeke agreed.

“We should do something.”

“Not much we can do,” was Zeke’s observation.

Casey was obviously of a different opinion. He told Zeke, “Go tell the manager their Santa is drunk,” then pushing his way to the front of the line, making sure he blocked the children's view of Santa, he called out, “Hey, kids, looks like Santa isn’t feeling well. Would you like to sing some Christmas carols with me until he’s feeling better?”

The parents had no idea who this stranger was, but when the children on line all nodded, then joined in when Casey began to sing _Jingle Bells_ , they didn’t question what he was doing there.

Zeke had reported the drunk Santa to the management, and while Casey kept the kids entertained, two security men came out, and lifting Santa out of his chair, practically carried him out of the area.

Choosing songs he was sure the kids would know the words to, and having finished with _Jingle Bells_ , Casey led them next in singing _Frosty the Snowman_ , followed by _Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer_. By the time Rudolph’s shiny nose had saved Christmas, Casey glanced behind him and saw with relief that a different Santa Claus had replaced the drunken one and was now sitting on the big chair. He didn’t think the kids would know the difference, and while the suit fit him, the most important qualification the replacement had was that he appeared to be stone cold sober.

“Looks like Santa’s feeling better,” Casey told the children, moving aside so they could see him. “Thanks for singing with me. Merry Christmas!” The kids applauded, and as he moved through the crowd, Casey received a number of pats on the back and thanks from grateful parents.

“I can’t believe you did that, Case,” Zeke told him. “Who knew you were such a boy scout?”

“I had to do something, Zeke. Those poor kids would have been scarred for life. It would have ruined Christmas for them forever.” Finally at the fragrance counter, Casey realized that Zeke had been right. Several dozen perfume bottles stood atop the counter, available for sampling. “I know it was a green bottle,” he remembered.

“That narrows it down some,” Zeke said with relief. He began moving the bottles of every color other than green over to the side, leaving only seven possibilities.

Casey began the process of spraying and sniffing. The very last bottle turned out to be his Mom’s favorite. “This is it!” He lifted up the bottle in triumph, but his grin soon disappeared when he saw the price tag affixed to the bottom. “Shit, I didn’t know it would be this much. No wonder Mom only used it on special occasions. She must have had that one bottle for years.” Dejected, he put the bottle back on the counter. “I’ll have to think of something else to get for her.”

“Young man?”

Casey turned to see who had spoken. Standing behind him was a middle-aged man wearing a three-piece suit with a flower in the buttonhole of his lapel. On his breast pocket he wore a small pin with the legend **Manager**. Casey’s first thought was that the man might think he was a shoplifter. “Yes?” he asked cautiously.

“I’m very grateful for what you did back there,” the man began, “leading those children in song while we removed the inebriated Santa and replaced him.”

Casey shrugged. “It was no big deal. I was glad to help.” He turned to Zeke. “I guess we’d better get going.”

The manager asked, “You weren’t able to find the fragrance you were looking for?”

Zeke answered for Casey. “He found it. He just can’t afford to buy it.”

“Which one is it?” the manager asked.

Casey picked up the bottle again. “I wanted to get this perfume for my mother. It’s her favorite”

The sales associate who was working the fragrance counter was dealing with another customer, but once she was finished, the manager called her over. Taking the bottle from Casey, he instructed her to get a new bottle from under the counter for Casey. “And please gift wrap it,” he added.

“I can’t buy it,” Casey protested. “It costs more money than I have to spend.”

“Young man, you saved this store, and myself, a lot of embarrassment with your quick thinking today. You might have even prevented a possible lawsuit.” A few moments later, the sales associate returned with a package wrapped in shiny red paper and topped with a large white bow. Taking it from her, the manager handed to Casey. “Please accept this with my compliments. It’s my way of showing my appreciation for what you did.”

“Free?” Casey asked, non-believing.

“Absolutely free,” the manager confirmed, “with my thanks. I hope your mother enjoys it.”

“She will. Thanks a lot.”

“It’s my pleasure. Merry Christmas.”

After the manager had left them, Zeke said, “If I’d known it would get me free stuff, I’d have led the sing-along instead of you.”

“Fuck you, Tyler,” Casey told him, but he was smiling, just as he imagined his mother would be smiling when she opened his package on Christmas morning.


End file.
